DIGI-SKIN: Open-access sc-RNA-seq mouse skin atlas

The skin, as the body`s largest organ, plays a critical role in protecting our inner tissues from various hazards such as infections, toxins, and UV radiation. This makes it a key focus in scientific research, which often involves animal experiments. Our project, DIGI-SKIN, aims to transform this approach by creating the largest publicly available single-cell transcriptome atlas of murine skin cells, potentially reducing the need for animal research. In this project, we plan to construct the most extensive online single-cell RNA sequencing data atlas of murine skin by merging previously published single-cell RNA sequencing data from developmental stages, aging, and skin wound healing. Single-cell RNA sequencing is a pivotal technology that allows for the quantification and comparison of the entire transcriptome at a single-cell resolution. This method is in stark contrast to techniques like real-time PCR, which can only target a limited number of genes and lacks single-cell resolution. With the online murine skin atlas, researchers can investigate changes in the expression of their gene of interest under various conditions and cell types. This information can help them make informed decisions and assess the viability of animal experiments before they begin.